Yeats shows class at Goodwood

Racing: Yeats outclassed the opposition with an emphatic victory in the ABN Amro Goodwood Cup this afternoon.

Racing: Yeats outclassed the opposition with an emphatic victory in the ABN Amro Goodwood Cup this afternoon.

Once Mick Kinane took the Aidan O'Brien-trained five-year-old to the front two furlongs out, the race was as good as over.

The 10-11 shot went on to trot up by five lengths from Frankie Dettori on Geordieland (16-1), with Tungsten Strike (25-1) three and a half lengths away in third.

Seb Sanders rousted Foreign Affairs along to set the pace in the Group Two heat over two miles. Although he led into the straight, he soon gave way as Yeats made smooth progress on the outside.

READ MORE

He soon stamped his authority on the race and powered away from his rivals to follow up his easy win in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Dettori tried to close the gap on Geordieland but to no avail as Tungsten Strike battled away for minor honours. Sergeant Cecil, who was shuffled back just before the turn for home, stayed on in good style for fourth place.

O'Brien told BBC Sport: "We saw how easy he won at Ascot and obviously there were a few different questions to answer today. Mick hadn't ridden him since he won his maiden at two and it was a different track today so all those things you have to take into consideration.

"Mick said he was very impressed with him and he's a Coronation Cup winner so obviously he isn't short of class. He also won a Derrinstown Derby Trial at three.

"It's exciting to be planning a campaign for a horse like this and credit must go to the owners for keeping him in training. He'll go to the Irish St Leger next and we'll see after that."

Kinane said: "He's definitely a very classy individual - probably the best stayer I have ridden. Ground would be everything (if he were to go for the Melbourne Cup). Firm is firm in Melbourne and that would be a shade worrying.

"Weight wouldn't be a worry. He's a big strapping horse, he carried plenty of weight today and broke the track record so it's not an inconvenience to him."

Jamie Osborne was thrilled with Geordieland, who only joined his stable less than eight weeks ago.

"He hasn't run beyond a mile and a half in France. It was a big risk coming here first time out but he's finished second to probably one of the great staying performances," he said.

"If you take Yeats out of the field we have won by several lengths, so we haven't put up a bad staying performance either. The Ebor is very valuable and he's in there off 108. We have to seriously consider it now.

"The ultimate plan is to go for the Melbourne Cup. That is what he was bought for. Ideally I would like to get him down to the Southern Hemisphere in time for the Caulfield Cup first."